Conventionally, some game systems use televisions as display devices, and conceivably execute various applications in addition to games. For example, in such a conventional game system, a game apparatus might execute, in addition to a game program, an application for displaying a television program guide on the television. In this manner, game systems can be intended for game use and also for various other uses.
Here, the television, which is also used as a display device in the game system, is intended for purposes of displaying images from the game system (e.g., game images and images for the program guide), and also for purposes other than in the game system (e.g., displaying television broadcast video). Moreover, in the case where the game system can be used for various purposes as described above, the frequency of use of the game system itself increases, and therefore, it is quite conceivable that the user uses the game system (e.g., to view the program guide) while watching the television. However, the conventional art as mentioned above has a problem with user-friendliness in switching between a state where the television is used in the game system and another state where the television is used for a purpose other than in the game system.
Therefore, the game systems, information processing methods, game apparatuses, and storage media having information processing programs stored therein as disclosed herein allow a display device, such as a television, to be readily operated during the execution of an application.
(1) An example game system described herein includes a game apparatus and an operating device.
The operating device includes an operation unit, a reception unit, and a display unit. The operation unit outputs operation data representing an operation on the operating device. The reception unit receives an image outputted by the game apparatus. The display unit displays the received image.
The game apparatus includes an acquisition unit, an application execution unit, an operation image generation unit, an instruction determination unit, and a device control unit. The acquisition unit acquires the operation data. The application execution unit executes an application and outputs an image generated by the execution of the application to either the operating device or a predetermined display device different from the operating device, or both. When a predetermined operation is performed on the operating device during the execution of the application, the operation image generation unit generates and outputs a predetermined operation image to the operating device. The instruction determination unit makes a determination in a state where the operation image is displayed on the display unit, on the basis of the operation data, the determination being as to whether or not a control instruction has been provided to control the predetermined display device. When the control instruction is determined to have been provided, the device control unit controls the predetermined display device in accordance with the control instruction.
According to the above configuration (1), when a predetermined operation is performed on an operating device during the execution of an application, an operation image is displayed on the screen of the operating device. Thereafter, in the state where the operation image is displayed, when an instruction to control a predetermined display device is provided, the predetermined display device is controlled in accordance with the control instruction. Thus, the above configuration (1) allows the predetermined display device to be operated while using an application in the game system, without terminating the execution of the application. Moreover, the user can both perform the predetermined operation and provide the control instruction simply by using one operating device, so that the display device can be readily operated even during the execution of the application. For example, by using the operating device, the user can readily perform operations for watching a television program during the execution of the application, and thereafter, resuming the application.
Note that the game apparatus may include a first image generation unit for generating and outputting an application selection image to the operating device. The application selection image includes images representing applications executable by the game apparatus. In this case, when an application to be executed is selected with the application selection image being displayed, the application execution unit executes the selected application.
(2) In the state where the operation image is displayed on the display unit, the instruction determination unit may determine whether or not a termination instruction has been provided to terminate the application being executed, on the basis of the operation data. In this case, when the termination instruction is determined to have been provided, the application execution unit terminates the execution of the application.
According to the above configuration (2), when the termination instruction is provided with the operation image being displayed, an application being executed is terminated. Thus, when the operation image is displayed, the user can both operate the display device and perform an operation to terminate the application.
(3) When a predetermined operation is performed on the operating device during the execution of the application, the application execution unit may suspend the execution of the application. In this case, with the operation image being displayed on the display unit, the instruction determination unit determines whether or not a resumption instruction has been provided to resume the execution of the application, on the basis of the operation data. When the resumption instruction is determined to have been provided, the application execution unit resumes the execution of the application.
According to the above configuration (3), when the resumption instruction is provided with the operation image being displayed, the execution of an application is resumed. Accordingly, with the operation image being displayed, the user can operate the display device, and thereafter, readily resume the application. Thus, for example, by using the operating device, the user can readily perform a series of operations of watching the television while using the application, and thereafter, resuming the use of the application.
(4) The predetermined display device may be capable of receiving television broadcasting and displaying a television program. In this case, when the operation image is displayed on the display unit, the operation image generation unit generates an image including a program guide and outputs the generated image to the predetermined display device.
According to the above configuration (4), when the operation image is displayed on the operating device, a television program guide is displayed on the predetermined display device. Thus, the user can operate the television (the predetermined display device) while viewing the program guide, which facilitates the operation of, for example, selecting the channel of the television.
(5) The operation image generation unit may generate as the operation image an image including a control instruction image representing the control instruction. In this case, when the control instruction image is selected, the instruction determination unit determines the control instruction to have been provided.
According to the above configuration (5), the operating device displays a control instruction image representing the control instruction as the operation image. Thus, the user can more readily provide the control instruction.
(6) The predetermined display device may be capable of receiving television broadcasting and displaying a television program. In this case, the operation image generation unit generates an image including a program guide as the operation image, and outputs the generated image to the operating device.
According to the above configuration (6), the operating device displays a program guide as the operation image. Thus, the user can operate the television (the predetermined display device) while viewing the program guide, which facilitates the operation of, for example, selecting the channel of the television.
(7) The predetermined display device may be switchable between a first mode where an image inputted from the game apparatus is displayed and a second mode where a television broadcast image is displayed. In this case, the device control unit controls the predetermined display device to be switched to the second mode in response to the operating device displaying the operation image.
According to the above configuration (7), when switching display to the operation image, the user does not perform any input switching operation on the predetermined display device, resulting in more simplified user operations.
(8) The predetermined display device may be switchable between a first mode where an image inputted from the game apparatus is displayed and a second mode where a television broadcast image is displayed. The device control unit controls the predetermined display device to be switched to the first mode in response to the operation image displayed on the operating device switching to an image generated by the execution of the application.
According to the above configuration (8), when switching display from the operation image to an image for an application, the user does not perform any input switching operation on the predetermined display device, resulting in more simplified user operations.
(9) The operating device may further include a control signal output unit for outputting a control signal to control the predetermined display device. In this case, the device control unit instructs the operating device to cause the control signal output unit to transmit a control signal indicating the content of control according to the control instruction.
The above configuration (9) makes it possible to readily control the predetermined display device from the game apparatus via the operating device.
(10) The control signal output unit may output an infrared signal as the control signal. In this case, the predetermined display device includes an infrared light reception unit capable of receiving the infrared signal.
The above configuration (10) allows the operating device to control the predetermined display device by the infrared signal. Note that general televisions (such as a television 2 in the example embodiment to be described later) have the function of receiving an infrared signal and perform an operation specified by the infrared signal. Thus, according to the above configuration (10), a television can be used as the predetermined display device, so that a highly versatile game system can be provided.
(11) The device control unit may output a control signal to the predetermined display device, the signal indicating the content of control according to the control instruction.
The above configuration (11) allows the information processing apparatus to readily control the predetermined display device by transmitting a control command. According to the above configuration (11), for example, a television which supports the HDMI standard can be used as the predetermined display device, so that a highly versatile game system can be provided.
(12) The operating device may further include a touch panel provided on a screen of the display unit. In this case, the operation image generation unit generates as the operation image an image including a control instruction image representing the control instruction. When the control instruction image is selected on the touch panel, the instruction determination unit determines the control instruction to have been provided.
The above configuration (12) allows the user to provide the control instruction using the touch panel. Thus, the user can provide instructions by easy and intuitive operations using the touch panel.
Note that disclosed herein is an example of the game apparatus included in the game system as described in (1) to (12) above. Also disclosed herein is an example non-transitory storage medium having stored therein a game program (an information processing program) for causing a computer of the game apparatus to function as means equivalent to the aforementioned units of the game apparatus (excluding the acquisition unit and the operation image output unit). Also disclosed herein is an example game processing method to be executed in the game system or apparatus as described in (1) to (12) above.
In the game system, information processing method, game apparatus, storage medium having an information processing program stored therein as mentioned above, an operation image is displayed on the screen of an operating device in response to a predetermined operation being performed on the operating device during the execution of an application, so that, with the operation image being displayed, a predetermined display device can be controlled in accordance with a control instruction. Thus, when using an application in the game system, the predetermined display device can be operated without terminating the execution of the application.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.